Prey of Desire by J. C. Gatlin Read Free Book Online

binder, Kim found a small book inside. “ Twenty Love Poems and a
Song of Despair ” by Pablo Neruda. She opened the poetry book. The inside
front cover was inscribed: “ For my Darling Bonnie. You will always be my
angel. Love Daddy.” An envelope fell out of the
book and landed near her ankles. She picked it up and tore it open. An index
card slipped out. It too was handwritten in red ink.
    “ Greico’s Italian Restaurant. I’ll be waiting.”
    Kim
looked around. No one was paying attention. The boy in the back was writing,
taking notes. The Professor droned on.
    She
thought of Addison’s 50th birthday celebration there, and wondered if Mallory
had slipped the invitation in her book. But that would’ve been impossible. And
Mallory was well aware of her history with Greico’s . And with Ross. That was their place.
    “Ross.”
Kim nodded to herself and flipped through the poetry book, then tucked the note
back inside and closed the binder.

 
    After
class, Kim walked to the nursing home approximately six blocks from the
University. She entered the building, and an orderly looked up and smiled at
her.
    “Hi, Miss
Bradford,” the large woman in aqua-colored scrubs said to her as she wheeled an
elderly woman in a wheelchair toward the cafeteria.
    “Hi Nurse
Carla,” Kim returned. “How’s he doing?”
    “Real good today. He’s in
his room.” Carla paused a moment, fidgeting with the elderly woman in the wheel
chair. Once settled, she looked back up at Kim and gave her an exhausted smile.
“Child, your grandaddy ate all his peas and carrots,
and had a solid bowel movement.”
    “Thanks
for watching out for him,” Kim said. “I really appreciate all the extra
attention you give him.”
    Nurse
Carla smiled and Kim walked past her down the wing. She found the door to her
grandfather’s room slightly open. Inside, a thin, graying man was sitting in a
green fabric recliner, staring out the window.
    “ Grampa ,” Kim said, entering the room. “How are you doing
today?”
    He didn’t
answer. He stared out the window. She set her books on a tray beside the bed
and stepped toward him. Kneeling beside the chair, she took his hand.
    “ Grampa ,” she said, leaning over and hugging him. Then, she
asked again, “How are you doing today? You flirting with the nurses again?”
    He didn’t
respond. He didn’t blink. She wasn’t even sure that he was aware that she was
there. Still, Kim smiled and lifted a finger to move a strand of hair out of
his eyes.
    “ What’cha looking at?” she asked him, glancing out the
window.
    A blue
jay squawked in a magnolia tree. Mad about something, it took off and soared
into the sky. Beyond that, two young boys were running in the courtyard. They
were yelling and laughing. Kim wondered if they were someone’s grandchildren,
or maybe great grandchildren, then looked back at her grandfather. “Where’s
your glasses,” she asked him.
    Standing,
she walked across the room and found a pair of black-framed bifocals on the
nightstand. She returned to him and slipped them on his face. He turned his
head slightly, as if suddenly spying something out the window he hadn’t noticed
before.
    “Now
isn’t that better?” Kim asked, laughing a little. She walked over to the tray
beside the bed and picked up her books. She found the poetry book.
    “Ross
gave me a book today,” she continued, picking it up in one hand and grabbing a
fold-out chair from the corner. She took it and unfolded it beside him. “You
remember Ross don’t you?”
    Saying
nothing, he seemed focused on the children running in the courtyard. Kim
watched him a moment, then sat down beside him. “Well, as I told you before,
Ross and I have been going through this rough patch but I think we’re getting
past it now. Life doesn’t get any easier. That’s what you always say, right?”
    He didn’t
respond. After a moment, she held up the poetry book then opened it on her lap.
    “Ross
gave me a book today,”